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Learn to play blues guitar.

These simple chord substitutions are a game changer for improvising on guitar! Guitar Lesson – EP529

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to visualize and play several easy chord substitutions that will help you add color to basic chords.

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Comments

  2. David S says

    Another game changer Brian, This will add so much more to my playing. These last three lessons are adding so much more to my guitar playing. Keep up the good work. Thank You so much
    for all your hard work. Dave

  6. Ricardo A says

    I have often attempted to figure out the relationship between various chord substitutions. This is an excellent introduction into this! I would definitely be interested in more lessons like this…

  15. Dilapidus says

    So that very first bit G -> Bm is great way to intro “Lyin’ Eyes” by the Eagles. This sounds far better than the tabs you’ll find online. I love the substitution work, to me that is the entire key to songwriting: Substitutions help you tell the story that ‘full’ chord changes cannot.

    Thanks mang!

  16. Wil W says

    Brian,

    another great lesson in combining chords. For myself I wrote down (to check why it is working)
    I (major) + iii (minor) = I maj7 ; I (major) + v (minor) = I9 ; I (major) + vi (minor) = I6 ; i (minor) + v (minor) = i minor 9 a.s.o.
    But you are right again. First try to hear the sounds of the Major 7, the 9 and the 6. Showing how to find these chords on the guitarneck in playing the Gmaj7, G9, G6 is a great help.

  17. Ben R says

    This is mind-blowing. Dont pretend to completely comprehend on one run through but its what I’ve always wanted to know, the mechanics of how to play a different chord/arpeggio/scale over a bass chord and completely change the flavour and feel. Guitar magic

  21. Jim J says

    You never disappoint. I have been playing for several years. I have advanced tremendously over the last two years with you. Thank you for that.
    Two questions: I saw your fiddle hanging on the wall in last week’s lesson. How’s that coming along? You playing fiddle for your buddy’s or ??And did I miss your guitar collection video? Looking forward to that.

    Thank you for everything and keep doing what you do. You’re the best!

  36. Michael H says

    Great lesson Brian
    I took the time to look at the actual notes in the chord substitutions which I believe for me is real key to my overall understanding.

    Getting the rhythm and timing down for me was a greater challenge then the picking or fretting hand. (but still don’t have that Am lick down yet)

    A lot of fun playing with the backing track

  38. slopace says

    One thing I’ve come to understand from all of these lessons; if you want to play with any kind of professionalism whatsoever, there is no getting around having to learn scales, modes and triads. It is absolutely worth it but not a quick and easy task.

  39. C.J. G says

    This lesson was a game changer for me filled with a bunch of light bulb moments. I really like the pacing of this lesson and love the inclusion of the jam tracks over one chord. I spent hours playing over single chords yesterday and just experimenting with these ew sounds and playing possibilities. Fantastic lesson all around!

  42. Robert G G says

    Thanks for simplifying everything. Especially”Which Note to Land on”.

    Could you help me by teaching how to transpose a song. I am capoing E. Clapton’s “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down and Out” on the seventh fret and want a fuller, open sound

    Thank you for your time.

    Bob

  47. John G says

    Great lesson. And nice that you gave the backing and the playing for each chord. Will have to scratch my brains and do a little bit of nit picking, but feel there’s a big learning curve for me in this one. Many thanks.

  49. mritalian says

    I love these lessons, it makes all the gray matter exercise. These lessons that you teach are mental gymnastics for me. Yeah, keep it going , I particular love the way you move in and out of the modes.

  51. DEAN M says

    You have a remarkably comfortable way of imparting connective lessons to your primary focus. You encourage us to think through the drawing to discover the colors beneath. I always enjoy your musical adventures. Cheers, my friend!

  52. Lynne R says

    Thanks Brian….could you possibly post some chord diagrams ?? That would be very helpful in terms of organizing the material . WilW summarized the info ….hoping it is all correct. Perhaps you could comment on his post

  54. Jerry R says

    I don’t post very often, but sometimes I just can’t resist expressing my feeling about Brian. As an educator he is a genius. He has filled my retirement with some purpose. Every day I learn something new. What a gift!

  56. Michael D says

    Watching the video made my head hurt in the best of ways. I’d look at the triad you are playing and you’d say G9, and I’d be thinking Dm. It’ll be awhile for me to wrap my head around it. Best help for me was how you started by anchoring to the G bar chord in E shape. Still not sure why a Bm triad becomes G maj7 sound. Will be watching this one for while.

    These last three lessons with the jam tracks have been a lot of fun – keep after it

  57. jeff j says

    Hey Brian, Wow, thanks so much for this lesson, for your site in general. I’ve been noodling on guitars for 15+ years but have learned more from your site in the last 6 months than all previous years. I notice that I am learning how to learn: I probably watch & work on nearly every lesson as least 7-10 times, occasionally more. The 1st couple of viewings I am watching and listening, but also see that I am memorizing (my old, inefficient way of practicing,) but with subsequent viewings the light bulb begins to glow, and an understanding of how it all works begins to dawn. I love it! I also love most of the compositions: they sound nice, are fun to play. I also appreciate the built-in redundancy (I mean this in a good way!) of the mechanics of it all, especially how the CAGED system actually is useful. These things don’t really sink into my brain in 1-2 passes. Slowly but surely I feel improvement and a deepening pleasure in how this whole music thing, esp w/regard to guitar playing works. Deeply grateful Brian. Keep at it!

  61. Andrew B says

    A great practical approach to using chord substitutions and a perfect opportunity to go back and look at previous lessons on the use of 6ths and 9ths.
    Is there a genre or style of playing that is more suited to using these substitutions? To my ear it fits nicely with a jazz/blues feel.

  63. Peter W says

    I think it might be helpfull for me if you could flag up the chord you are playing over when you show the tab for each section. as I stop and start the video to get the essence of the lick under my fingers I find myself forgetting the chord changes and where we got to. you do tell us the chord but to have it above the tab would be helpful. thanks Brian

  66. Georg B says

    Hi Brian,
    Last week I set out to really understand your lesson ep529. It is a true challenge for me. I was going to send you my questions earlier today with what I don’t understand. Don’t worry, I don’t have any questions any more. I think, now I have understood everything. Even though I couldn’t explain myself what you are explaining, I understood everything, which makes me happy.
    Thank you for your lessons. The more of them I do, the easier it will be to understand, I hope.
    All the best,
    Georg
    PS
    I think, I watched this lesson “500” times until I got it.

  69. Douglas H says

    Where were you 40 years ago when I started playing Brian? I feel like I’m finally officially learning the instrument I love. Maybe “understanding” is more fitting. Either way, thanks for another great one 🙂

  70. Gary F says

    First, this is awesome thank you. I came to a point where I wanted to learn what my guitar heroes learned, not what they were playing. Question, in the chord substitution video. (ep 529) when you played the b minor step triad with the g bass you referred to the sound as lydian. Why not phrygian as the b minor is the three of g? Thanks!!!!

  72. rjwheeler says

    Brian,

    I’m trying to make a guitar accompaniment for “Help Me Make It Through The Night” in the key of D and would love some ideas or direction for the two measures between the phrases. I’m not tied to the key of D so if there any help you can give me I would really appreciate it.

    Bob

  74. Bobby D says

    I am so glad that you are demonstrating the power of using the Relative Minor can be. It’s a very nice go-to lead and additional chord within one’s music. Thumbs up. also appreciate your lessons on phrasing, very inspirational.

  76. Scott T says

    Home run !
    Thanks so much for you level of interest and concern
    Can’t count how many times I come across something like this and you say. I hope bells are going off for somebody. Keep them ringing !
    Scott

  77. Dennis E says

    Hi everyone! I have a question, does anyone in the group know ( or Brian, but I realize youre busy) when Brian said that when you play the bm triad over a G chord you get a G7 chord. Is that a G7 or a Gmaj7? Also brian said that if you play the scale there you get G lydian mode. Do you mean play bm scale or G major scale? Any response would really be appriciated. Thanks! Dennis : )

  79. Dennis E says

    What an amazing lesson, also for me very confusing AT FIRST. That’s the good news! I tabbed the piece out in my notebook then every time you explained a certain point of the song as to why you used a certain chord I put an alphebetic number by it, the flipped the page and wrote the corresponding Letter with the explanation as to why certain chords were used or scales. I ended up with 5 pages of notes on this piece and a MUCH bigger understanding on which chord sounds you get if on is played over another. Also It taught me a lot more about the CAGED system! I’m still a little shaky on my comprehension of all the information in a practical application sense so I’m just gonna dive in and start playing over the backing tracks. Especially excited to start using the mixolydian and Lydian modes. Also to combine the 6th and ninth chords with the minor pentatonic scales. VERY exciting stuff! Thank you once again Brian for an amazing lesson!!

  80. Dennis E says

    Hey Brian can you recommend a possible next video lesson to watch in the regards to combining minor and major modes together in different places of the same song? I’m a bit overwhelmed with the 12 years worth of lessons. Not sure where to go next from here. I know the major/ minor scale positions ( caged) and almost know all of the major/minor triads on the thinner 4 strings. Anyways let me know if you can think of one. Ok thanks!
    Dennis.

  84. Richard F says

    This is fascinating. Opened a door for me. I’ve worked out a solo for the CW Rocky Top in G major that’s made up of simple variations of the melody. I once saw a guy in a club play spacey solos & fills for the song & could never figure it out. Right off the bat, the applied concepts in this lesson are amazing. A magical breakthrough. Thanks.

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